


A Supernatural season 8 “what if” speculative fic-like thing

by li_izumi



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Castiel Has Feelings for Dean Winchester, Castiel Has Self-Esteem Issues (Supernatural), Not quite a fic, Season/Series 08, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26822383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/li_izumi/pseuds/li_izumi
Summary: What if Cas had gone through the Purgatory portal with Dean? After hunting with Dean and Sam awhile, he ultimately performs the trials to close Hell. As an angel, he is better able to hide the effects of the Trials…
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	A Supernatural season 8 “what if” speculative fic-like thing

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this one day when feeling a bit down. It's not quite a fic, but it's something like one.  
> [Origianally posted on my Tumblr](https://li-izumi.tumblr.com/post/173397925538/a-supernatural-season-8-what-if-speculative)

Cas goes through the portal with Dean. They set Benny free and reconnect with Sam. Dean is PISSED at Sam, but they deal with it.

They rescue Kevin, who starts work on the Demon Tablet. Cas joins Dean and Sam hunting. He’s not very good yet, but he tries. Dean is frustrated with both Sam for ‘running away’ for the past year, and Cas for not being a very good hunter. He cheers greatly when Kevin finds a method to seal off Hell.

There’s some sort of ‘pissing contest’ between Heaven and Hell, but Dean doesn’t care if those dicks kill themselves. Cas finds out that they seem to be hunting down the Angel tablet, but since they hope to have Hell sealed off soon, and the Angel tablet hasn’t been found, it’s not a concern yet.

Dean and Sam want to start in on first trial right away, but Cas realizes that if they spread out the trials too much, it would give Crowley and the demons a heads up on what they’re doing, and figuring out all 3 trials and doing them all together will give Crowley little chance to stop them. They keep hunting, eventually meeting Henry Winchester, trapping a Knight of Hell, and making a home in the Men of Letters Bunker.

Kevin works hard (and makes himself sick) but he finds all 3 trials. They don’t quite know how they’re going to cure a demon, but they’ve got a little time to figure that out while they complete the first two trials.

Cas is the obvious choice to complete them; he can easily find and see a Hellhound, and dispatches one with ease. He is weakened from the trial, but not noticeably. He still has his wings, he still has his powers, and he can still fight his way into Hell.

Crowley isn’t tipped that something big is up until Cas steals Bobby Singer’s soul out of Hell. He scrambles to find a way to counteract the trials, to stop the Winchesters, but he doesn’t have enough time to move against them.

The second trial takes even more out of Cas than the first. His Grace is brittle, fragile. His feathers are falling off his wings, deceased. It is at this point that Cas realizes he’s dying. He hides the extent of his weakness from Dean and Sam.

It’s fine. This is a way to redeem himself from the damage he caused on Earth and Heaven. This is a way he can be of use to Dean and Sam. If he wasn’t doing this, it would surely have been Dean. This way, Cas can maybe redeem himself to Dean, he can earn Dean’s forgiveness at last.

Sam figures out a demon cure. Dean is thrilled with their progress on the trials. They’re going to do this; they’re really going to seal off Hell. Dean is bouncing with excitement.

Cas’s human body is unchanged but his true form is wane and diminished. He is glad they have a means to complete the third trial; he’s not sure how much longer he can maintain that he is fine.

They sanctify some human blood, and Cas cures Abaddon. Somehow, he finds the strength to keep standing as he recites the final words of the spell, closing the gates of Hell.

Dean is whooping and cheering. He slaps Cas on the back, and Cas falls forward, his human form collapsing to the ground, empty. His true form is unraveling and dissipating without a trace.

His last bit of awareness lasts too long. Cas wishes his final sight would be of Dean celebrating their win. Instead, it’s Dean’s shocked and horrified expression as he comprehends the price for closing Hell.

At least it wasn’t Dean. At least it wasn’t Sam. At least Cas could be of use to Dean, this one last time.


End file.
